Cable Questions

[wcoffey81]

what do most of you do when you need a few new cables? i need another bass to amp cable and a couple of amp to cab cables. i will probably buy a pre made bass to amp cable, i kind of like the orange dimarzio cable, but i am thinking of building my own speaker cables.
do you guys/gals usually walk into a guitar shop and just grab something off of the shelf? price range? or do you whip out the soldering station and build/repair your own?
i tend to do some research before buying most things and i didn't expect this cable issue to be as complex as it looks to be. can they effect the sound as much as some people claim? i don't necessarily mean the differences between a $10 and a $100 cable but the differences created between brands of the actual bulk cable.

[funnyfingers]

Check out http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/cablechoice.shtml for detailed reviews. Even though it is for brands, it gives information on the cable spec as well.

[JFOC]

A passive bass will respond to a different cable more so than an active.

+1 ovnilab.

-1 for monster, they sued sesame street

[Got2SadowskyNYC]

Just get a mid priced cable that has a life time warrenty. There's no reason to drop $150 on a cable because you're never going to notice the difference. If you stay in the $40 - $50 range MAX you're good. THere are some really nice $30. I use one.

I can, and have fixed many a cable. It's not worth it with a warrenty. You just take it back to the nearest dealer and get a new one.

Makeing cables is only worth it if you are making a bunch of cables or need a special length because bulk cable is a lot cheaper.

For amp-cab cables 3 - 5 feet is more than enough. They are readily available and have life time warrenties. A cable you make will not have the warrenty and you have to make it and repair it.

Don't believe Monster's magic mumbo jumbo and about "tuned" cables. They manufacture the metal for the sole purpose of removing certain freq. from the signal as it passes through. They DON'T do this on the studio link because this is exaclty what you don't want from a cable. Besides, you already have several ways to adjust your eq, you don't need the cable to do it any more than it naturally will.

I aviod monster because the incositancy of thier jacks. The dip between the tip and sleeve's are not consistant. I've seen them ruin a jack on more than one occasion by folding the tip contact completely over. It's happened to me once and I stopped using Monster.

Keep in mind that cable is the highest mark up item in the store. They LOVE to sell expensive cables because they make a lot.

[ulrich]

Instrument cables: Hand soldered by me. G&H, Nuetrik, or Switchcraft plugs on Canare GS6 wire. GS6 is thin, flexible, and low capacitance.

Avoid any cable advertised specifically for bass. They are defective by design.

Speaker cables: Genuine Nuetrik Speakon connectors, on Canare 4S8 wire. Or what ever 2 or 4 conductor, round black rubber jacketed wire is at the hardware store (marked sjo, sjoo, or sjow). Or hell, garden lighting cable. It's speaker cable, nothing matters much, save gauge. For the head to cab lengths, it doesn't need to be a heavy gauge. Round cables (Canare 4S8, SJ**) are just nice to coil, and look better.

When buying ready made, just look for same components that I use.

[wcoffey81]

My "splurge" item will be the 18' dimarzio instrument cable for around $30. for the past couple of days i have been researching items to build a cab, with GREAT help from TB member Clpeavey! i needed to order some speaker cable for the project so i ordered enough extra to build a couple cables too.
what i got lost in was looking at bulk instrument cable. i have a pile of notes i made with part numbers, shielding , conductors and cost per foot. then when you start reading reviews and people swear how much different the sound is between cables.
i'm in no way an electrical engineer but i find it difficult to believe that in a 15-20 foot run cables with similar shielding, similar conductors, same ends and a single person building them can change the tone of an instrument.


EDIT: this is what i ordered for speaker cable.
Speaker Cable, White, Pure Copper, CM / Inwall rated, 14/2 (14 AWG 2 Conductor), 105 Strand / 0.16mm,

[bassgod0dmw]

I make my own cables. I'm in the process of making all new cables and rewiring my whole pedal board as I type this.

[wcoffey81]

if the jack is on the edge of your bass do you like a 90 degree end or a straight end?

[RDUB]

I used to make my own, but the price for a decent cable with Neutrik connectors is currently about $5 more than I can build one for, and they're guaranteed. I generally lose them before I can wear them out...

I prefer 90's because I'm less likely to snag it on something.

[ulrich]

Right angle plugs, work very nicely if you tuck your cable behind your strap.

[Biggbass]

I use Planet Waves/DiAddario Circuit Breaker cabless for bass to amp. They are guaranteed for Life. I've had to replace a couple over the years and it's as easy as walking into a GC and asking for a new one...OR you can mail it to DiAddario and they ship you a new one within days.

For Amp to Cab I use custom made cables from Pro Cables. They will last forever.

[john m]

FWIW

I've A-B'ed it with cheap cables and a friend's $150 boutique special.

The Monster BASS cable sounds better than the cheap ones.

No diference with the big $ unit.

Originally Posted by ulrich

Instrument cables: Hand soldered by me. G&H, Nuetrik, or Switchcraft plugs on Canare GS6 wire. GS6 is thin, flexible, and low capacitance.

Avoid any cable advertised specifically for bass. They are defective by design.

Speaker cables: Genuine Nuetrik Speakon connectors, on Canare 4S8 wire. Or what ever 2 or 4 conductor, round black rubber jacketed wire is at the hardware store (marked sjo, sjoo, or sjow). Or hell, garden lighting cable. It's speaker cable, nothing matters much, save gauge. For the head to cab lengths, it doesn't need to be a heavy gauge. Round cables (Canare 4S8, SJ**) are just nice to coil, and look better.

When buying ready made, just look for same components that I use.

[ulrich]

Originally Posted by john m

FWIW

I've A-B'ed it with cheap cables and a friend's $150 boutique special.

The Monster BASS cable sounds better than the cheap ones.

No diference with the big $ unit.

If it works for you, use it.

That "better" sound, if not placebo, is caused by extra capacitance in the cable cutting highs. Much the same as a passive bass' tone knob uses a capacitor to reduce highs.

You say "sounds better" I say "defective." Tomayto, tomahto.

On another note: warranty = insurance = gambling. The house always wins. The odds are against you; they've made sure of that. Insurance, is worthwhile for things I can't afford to cover, such as car crashes, cancer, broken legs... I can afford another cable; I don't need to bet that I'm gonna need one. Warranty won't cover loss or theft. Having money left over that you didn't spend in the first place will.

[wcriley]

Originally Posted by ulrich

On another note: warranty = insurance = gambling. The house always wins. The odds are against you; they've made sure of that. Insurance, is worthwhile for things I can't afford to cover, such as car crashes, cancer, broken legs... I can afford another cable; I don't need to bet that I'm gonna need one. Warranty won't cover loss or theft. Having money left over that you didn't spend in the first place will.

Also:
Even if you live next door to a music store, it takes less time to repair a cable than to replace it under warranty.

[beans-on-toast]

I usually buy cables with descent quality Neutrik connectors and low capacitance cable but I don't go nuts buying high end stuff. Under $25. I've used high end cables for recording. A good quality reliable cable that keeps noise to a minimum is good. I'm not sold on the notes sounding better.

I make speakon amp to cab cables with Neutrik connectors and 18 gauge two conductor cable from the hardware store.

If you are curious about $100+ cables, you owe it to yourself to audition one and see what you think.

These guys had plain old cables and managed do fine with them.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by john m

FWIW

I've A-B'ed it with cheap cables and a friend's $150 boutique special.

The Monster BASS cable sounds better than the cheap ones.

No diference with the big $ unit.

Making a cable with GS-6 and the various ends mentioned (G&H, Switchcraft or Neutriik) will cost you about $15 in parts, way less than a Monster.

The reason why you're paying extra for Monster is so they can fund their lawsuits against small mom & pop stores that have the word "monster" in their name and have been in business long before Monster was.

[ezstep]

Originally Posted by beans-on-toast

Those guys used "vintage" cables, hence their "vintage" sound.

[john m]

$50/hour.

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

Making a cable with GS-6 and the various ends mentioned (G&H, Switchcraft or Neutriik) will cost you about $15 in parts, way less than a Monster.

The reason why you're paying extra for Monster is so they can fund their lawsuits against small mom & pop stores that have the word "monster" in their name and have been in business long before Monster was.

[john m]

They hand me a new Monster Cable.
I walk home.

Originally Posted by wcriley

Also:
Even if you live next door to a music store, it takes less time to repair a cable than to replace it under warranty.

[Bassmanbob]

I had two different Monster Cables break my input jack on my amp twice!

Never again!

I sold my Monster Cables and now use Canare GS-6 wire with G&H right angle plugs. I make them to the length I want and haven't had one break since.